How Do Atheists Help[ People?

[Rhondazvous]

My sister just published a book in which she advises young women on how to make right decisions based on their relationship with god. Of course, nothing in the book is actually useful unless you believe in god.

Caveat:
How can I criticize christian outreach when I don't know what atheists are doing to help young people, grieving people, hungry people. Religious groups help people by lying to them, but the people do feel like they're being helped. What do we do? Are there groups that give secular help without the religious strings attached to it?

[Minimalist]

We do not tell them to waste their lives waiting for magic to suddenly happen if they just BELEIVE.

Really, what better message is there for the modern world?

[FatAndFaithless]

There are tons of secular groups doing all sorts of charity work for all sorts of causes. They're not that hard to find with a google search. The one thing you need to remember is that religion (specifically Christianity in the west) has had literally thousands of years of monopoly on the whole 'charity' idea, so they have a massive head start in terms of numbers and money.

[rskovride]

Here is a partial list of secular organizations that help people.

[Aegon]

There are so many secular charities and advocacy groups in the US and certainly in the rest of the world as well. I currently work at one, in D.C., so I've seen a ton of organizations. Maybe one was Christian. Though atheists may work at or donate to secular and religious organizations if they believe they have a good message and spend the donations justly. Their religious affiliation doesn't matter most of the time.

As for what an individual might do... I don't see a difference between an atheist deciding to be kind and do good and a Christian deciding to do the same. It literally does not matter.

[vorlon13]

All the money saved on not building Sunday palaces and all the overhead associated with running a competitive religion is available for other uses.

Saving billions in pedophile civil judgments too . . .

[Fake Messiah]

Some secular organizations: UNICEF, Amnesty International, Doctor’s Without Borders, S.H.A.R.E., Goodwill Industries. They don't use "obligatory part of the money" to build castles, jets, jewelry, cars etc like religious charitable organizations do.

[Neo-Scholastic]

Yeah,...secular organizations FILLED with religiously motivated people who have chosen to work through those organizations. (speaking from experience on this one)

[FatAndFaithless]

And y'know, secular organizations filled with atheists too.

[LastPoet]

Personally, only in the portuguese food bank, with any spare time. Sorting and forklifting stuff.

Why is religion infesting human empathy? It needs not.